As for Sir Tristram, that was the most terrible buffet
he ever had struck him in all his life before that time.
Then straightway Sir Tristram voided his saddle and drew his sword and
dressed his shield. And he cried out: "Ha, Sir Knight! I demand of you that
you descend from your horse and do me battle afoot."
"Very well," said the white knight, "thou shalt have thy will." And
thereupon he likewise voided his horse and drew his sword and dressed his
shield and made himself in all ways ready for battle as Sir Tristram had
done.
Therewith they two came together and presently fell to fighting with such
ardor that sparks of fire flew from every stroke. And if Sir Tristram
struck hard and often, the white knight struck as hard and as often as he,
so that all the knights of Cornwall who stood about marvelled at the
strength and fierceness of the knights-combatant. Each knight gave the
other many sore buffets so that the armor was here and there dinted and
here and there was broken through by the edge of the sword so that the red
blood flowed out therefrom and down over the armor, turning its brightness
in places into an ensanguined red.
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